Gathering and cutting device.



D. H. LUCE & B. S. JANES.

GATHERING AND cumme DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED MAYZZ, IQXG- Patented Jan. 16, 1917.

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JDANIEL H. LUCE AND BERT S. JANES, F HARBOR CREEK TOWNSHIP, ERIE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

GATHERING AND CUTTING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 1%, 1917..

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, DANIEL H. Loon and Bear S. JANns, citizens of the United States,

residing in Harbor Creek township, Erie county, Pennsylvania, have mvented new 1 cutting devices and consists in certain improvements in the construction thereof as will be hereinafter fully described and pointed out in the claims.

It has been the practice heretofore in vineyards to trim the vineyards, gather the brush, carry it to the ends of the rows, there pile it and burn it. This operation entails the labor of carrying the brush to the end of the row and also to a very material loss in the fertilizer content of the brush. The present invention is designed to take care of the brush on the ground and as exemplified it is particularly designed for handling the brush from vineyards. It will be understood, however that it may be utilized for other purposes.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings as follows Figure 1 shows a plan view of the device. Fig. 2 a side elevation.

1 marks the axle and 2 the traction wheels. These are journaled on the axle.

3 marks the tongue and 4 the braces running from the tongue to the axle, the tongue being pivoted on the axle.

A guide-way 5 is mounted on the axle and forms in part the frame of the machine, the axle having a drop portion 6 to which the guide-way is attached. Gathering teeth 7 extend forwardly from the front of the guide-way. These are slightly rounded at their front end and are adapted to rest on the ground in position to gather up the brush as the machine is advanced. A guard plate 8 is arranged above the guide-way. This extends into a toothed crowding wheel 9. The crowding wheel 9 is mounted on the shaft 10. The shaft 10 is journaled in the front end of the rods 11, these rods extending back to and being journaled on the axle. A sprocket wheel 12 is arranged on the shaft 10 and a chain 13 extends to a sprocket wheel 14 mounted on the inside of one of the traction wheels 2. The cutter 15 is of the rotary type having a series of blades set on a spiral. It is fixed on the shaft 16. The shaft 16 is journaled in the bearlngs 17 carried at the rear end of the frame formed by the guide-Way 5. Gears 18 are arranged on the ends of the shaft 16 and these mesh the gears 19. The gears 19 are journaled on the shafts 20 and the shafts 20 are journaled in the bearings 21 and 22 carried by the frame. Gears 23 are fixed on the outer ends of the shafts 20 and mesh gears 24: fixed on the traction Wheels 2. Ratchet wheels 25 are fixed on the gears 19. Ratchet pawls 26 engage the ratchet wheels 25 and these pawls are carried by the arms 27 fixed on the shafts 20. A cutting blade 29 is arranged in operative relation with the cutting wheel 15. It is of ordinary form presenting a cutting edge in connection with which the cutting blades on the wheel will shear the material. At the rear end of the guide-way a second crowding Wheel 30 is provided. This is a toothed-wheel mounted at the front ends of the swinging arms 31, the rear ends being carried by the bearings 17. The wheel 30 is driven by a sprocket chain 32 running from the sprocket wheel 33 011 the shaft 16 to the sprocket wheel 34 on the shaft 35 on which the wheel 30 is mounted.

The operation is as follows: As the machlne is advanced along the row, the teeth or projections 7 gather up the brush and as it passes along up the projections 7 it is caught by the wheel 9 and forced back up the guide way, the guide way being funnelshaped to reduce its width. As the brush reaches the crowding wheel 30 it is forced back to the cutting knives and cut into short lengths and deposited on the ground. These short lengths disintegrate in a very short period leaving their fertilizer content in the ground. Further the short lengths of material do not interfere with the proper working of the ground but on the contrary rather assist in this.

The driving of the cutter 15 can be readily followed from the description of the parts. It is driven from the traction Wheels 2 through the gears 24, gears 23, ratchet arms 27, ratchet pawls 25, gears 19 and gears 18. The ratchet mechanism is provided to allow one of the traction wheels to run ahead of the other in turning a corner.

It is sometimes desirable to swing the frame 5 so as to raise the projections 7 or adjust them to different qualities of ground. To accomplish this we have provided the lever 36 which is pivoted on the tongue at 37. This operates over the locking segment 38 so that it may be locked in adjustment. The cross piece 39 is secured to the lever and is connected with the frame 5 by chains 40.

What we claim as new is 1. In a gathering and cutting machine, the combination of a guide-way; a gathering device having gathering projections extending from the front end of the guideway; a crowding device operating'above the guide-way for forcing and compressing the material as it is gathered by the gathering device into the guide-way, said crowding device, beingarranged' to'the rear of the front ends of the projections forming the gathering device; a cutting device arranged at the rear of the guide-way; and means for actuating the cutting. device.

In a. gathering and cutting machine, the combination of a guide-way; a gathering device having gatheringprojections extending from the front end ofthe guideway; a crowding wheel operating on the material to the rear of the front ends of the projections forming the gathering device for compressing and forcing the material into the guide-way; a cutting device arranged at therear of the guide-way; and means for actuating the cutting device.

3. In a gathering and cutting machine, the combination of a guide-Way; gathering projections extending from the front end of the guide-way; a crowding wheel operating over the frontend of the guide-way; a cutting device arranged at the rear of the guide-way; traction wheels on which the guide-way is mounted; and means for driv ingthe cutter from the traction wheels.

l. In. a gathering and cutting machine, the combination of a guide-way wider at the front than at the rear; gathering projections extending from the front of the guide- Coples of this-patent may be obtained for way; a gathering wheel over the guide-way; a guide plate over the guide-way; a cutting wheel arranged at the rear of the guideway; traction wheels on which the guideway is mounted; a driving connection between a traction wheel and the cutter; and a driving connection between a drive wheel and the crowding device.

5. In a gathering and cutting machine, the combination of a guide-way wider at the front than at the rear; gathering projections extending from the front of the guideway; a gathering wheel over the guide-way; a guide plate over the guide-way; a cutting wheel arranged at the rear of the guideway; traction wheels on which the guideway is mounted; a driving connection between a traction wheel and the cutter; a driving connection between a drive wheel and the crowding device; and an auxiliary crowding device at the rear of the guideway.

6. In a gathering and cutting machine, the combination of a guide-way wider at the front than at the rear; gathering projections extending from the front of the guideway; a crowding wheel arranged at the front of the guide-way and at the rear of the front ends of the gathering projections; a guide plate over the guideway; a cutting wheel arranged at the rear of the guideway; and means for driving the crowding wheel and cutting wheel.

7.-In a gathering and cutting machine, the combination of a guide-way; gathering projections extending in front of the guideway; a crowding wheel operating over said projections; and a plate over the guideway extending to the crowding wheel and adapted to clear the crowding wheel of material.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands.

DANIEL H. LUCE. BERT S. JANES.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of latentl, Washington, D. 0. 

